The bus station at North Greenwich is likely to stay in place for a few more years after the Greenwich Peninsula’s main developer applied to delay plans for a replacement.

Knight Dragon has asked Greenwich Council to amend the masterplan for the peninsula so it can put off the opening of a new bus station, as well as a new primary school, tweaking a blueprint agreed four years ago.

Under the current masterplan, Knight Dragon has to have finished the bus station by the time 3,000 homes are finished. The company is asking to change this figure to 6,000.

The plans would move the bus station south, to where the Tube station’s car park currently is, and place it in a development called Station Square with towers of up to 38 storeys.

North Greenwich bus station
More striking parts of the current bus are station are tucked away from view. Image: The Greenwich Wire
North Greenwich bus station at dusk
North Greenwich bus station in April 2023: the old station will be around for some time yet. Image: The Greenwich Wire

Early plans suggested that the world-famous architect Santiago Calatrava would design the new bus station, but these were later junked in favour of more conventional designs. Outline plans were approved by councillors in 2020, although the final legal agreements – that Knight Dragon is seeking to amend – were not signed until two years ago. 

The current bus station was designed by Norman Foster and opened in 1999. However, it soon struggled to cope with the number of buses and passengers using it, while its more striking features, such as the taxi rank and service bays, have been somewhat hidden to the public. It has also suffered from structural issues in recent years.

Poor road design in later years has led to buses frequently getting  caught in queues of traffic leaving the O2’s car parks. The old bus station would be demolished and redeveloped. 

Queue of buses taken from the top of a bus
Poor road design has lead to buses being held up. Image: The Greenwich Wire

Under the plans approved four years ago, its replacement would  have five stops rather than the current four, with 19 rather than the current 15 stands, and the Tube station would be given new entrances. 

The bus station would be next to a new multi-storey car park that would service the O2. Earlier this year permission was given for the existing two-deck car park to stay in place for another decade.

Plans for a cycle “superhub” at North Greenwich would also be delayed until the development has reached 6,000 homes — twice the level in the current agreement.

Render of new buildings and bus stops
The new bus station would be part of a development called Station Square. Image: Allies & Morrison/Knight Dragon via council documents

Knight Dragon says it has already finished 2,572 homes in the Upper and Lower Riverside parts of the peninsula, with another 2,073 in progress. It has also finished the Design District creative quarter.

In total, the company plans to build 17,000 homes on the peninsula by 2043.

Knight Dragon had also pledged to build two primary schools, the first at 2,500 homes and the second when 10,000 homes were built. It now plans to open the first school in time for its 5,000th home, blaming declining birth rates.

The new school would be across Millennium Way in the Meridian Quays development, which was given permission in November last year.

Declining school rolls have been an issue across inner London. Earlier this year a school in Kidbrooke, Holy Family, closed its doors for the last time while Greenwich Council plans to close Gallions Mount primary school in Plumstead.

Knight Dragon’s application can be found on the Greenwich Council planning website.

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